Laurie's choice
by orlando's-girl-4eva
Summary: Beth has just died. Jo is heartbroken. The person she thought she loved wavered her grief off, like it was nothing. And how does Laurie react to Aimee's decision?
1. His choice

Jo felt tears run down her face. Beth was dead; they had just had a mini burial. They would not have a funeral until Amy got back, Teddy too. She ran through the woods. One of the places she and Laurie used to play. She got to the gate at last and slumped against, holding onto the post for support as she wept for her favourite sister, Beth. The one she wanted to be like. The one who wanted to be like her. Her thoughts went back to Professor Fritz Bhaer, he wasn't very sympathetic, and he hated her stories. He told her to take a hold of herself when she told him, tearfully, of Beth being ill. She missed Laurie too. Why had she rejected him? She loved him. But so had Amy, he probably loved Amy now anyway. She sighed and looked of into the distance.

"When I have a daughter, I will name her Beth, I will teach her to be like her, and the world needs Beths."

She had written a letter to Laurie a week ago, by express mail, to tell of Beth's death. Amy knew too. Jo knew that no-one could feel Beth's dead as much as she did.

A few days ago.

Laurie turned the letter over in his hands; he dropped it on the floor and raised a hand to wipe away his tears. Beth had died. She was only nineteen. The sweetest, dearest person he had met. Or ever will. She didn't deserve it. He got up. Amy needed family, she was alone out here, and Jo had Meg to look after her.

Laurie got up. He fetched a carriage and rode to Amy's house. Amy was sitting in the lounge.

"Oh Amy, I'm sorry."

Amy looked at him flirtatiously. "I guess you owe me that kiss, now."

Laurie looked angry. "Amy, come with me, I can take you home."

"I don't want to go. You can go. I want to complete my year here."

"Beth has died, she was your sister, and do you feel anything for your sister, who'd do anything for anyone, put everyone else first. Don't you care?"

"Why does everyone go on about Beth's attitude? She had no skill. Go away, I bet if you had the chance you would marry her, you like her more than me! She does not even look attractive!"

"Fine, forget it."

Laurie walked out fuming; Amy had used this as an opportunity to get what she really wanted. Him. He went to a ship port and got a ticket back home. Back to Jo. Someone who would care for Beth.

A few days later.

Jo was crying against post.

"When I have a daughter, I will name her Beth, I will teach her to be like her, and the world needs Beths."

"They sure do."

Jo jumped and turned around. "Teddy"

She threw her arms around him and sobbed onto his chest. "Oh, Teddy, she's gone and she's not coming back." Jo collapsed against him sobbing. Laurie felt her pain, the true pain, not put on to gain sympathy.

"Where's Amy?"

"She wouldn't come." Laurie was crying too.

"I feel that all my sisters are leaving me, Teddy, I told Professor Fritz Bhaer, he didn't even care for Beth's illness he told me to stop crying. To take a hold of myself, Oh Laurie I hate him so."

Laurie dried his tears "Oh, Jo, poor Jo. Beth will always be with us, you know."

Jo looked up at him; eyes full of love, Laurie looked back. Jo found his hands and held them.

"Teddy, I'm sorry I rejected you, I don't know what was wrong with me, I have regretted it ever since, oh please say you forgive me."

Laurie response was to kiss her, long and deep. They broke apart

"Is that yes?" Jo teased

They both looked up into the sky. "There's defiantly one angel in Heaven today, Jo."

"I love you, Teddy," Jo said, it was barely a whisper but Laurie heard it.

"And I you"

The walked back off down the path to the future, they would never let Beth leave or be forgotten about because as Laurie said "Saints are never forgotten, they don't come around every day."


	2. Amy's heart

Amy sat down blindly; she had just got news of Beth's death. _It was wrong, it had to be. There must be some mistake. Please let there be some mistake _she thought over and over again.

She got up and started walking round the room her hands in her hair, tears rolling down her face. She was upset, of course, but she was also scared. She couldn't go back home, not yet anyway. It wasn't home without Beth. She sat back down in the lounge and tried her tears. Laurie walked in. Amy opened her mouth to speak.

"_I need someone," thought Amy "anyone"_

Laurie spoke first "Amy, I am sorry"

Grief had turned her mind numb.

"I expect you owe me that kiss now"

Laurie took a step back. "Amy, come with me, I'll take you home"

Amy's fear exploded inside her, she decided to try and be strong and hide her grief. Be like Jo.

"I don't want to go, I want to complete my year here"

_I'm not ready yet_

"Beth has died, she was your sister, and do you feel anything for your sister, who'd do anything for anyone, put everyone else first. Don't you care?"

_I care with all my heart, what's left of it anyway._

Suddenly anger with Beth exploded inside of her. Why did Beth have to leave them, at least when she left they knew she was coming back.

"Why does everyone go on about Beth's attitude? She had no skill. Go away, I bet if you had the chance you would marry her, you like her more than me! She does not even look attractive!"

"Fine, forget it."

Laurie walked out angrily, leaving Amy all alone. She stood there in silence, and suddenly flung herself down on the couch and burst into tears.

"Oh, Beth. Why did you have to leave?" she chocked out, not caring that she had made the cushions soaking wet.

Days had passed and Amy still attended classes a picture of Beth poised on the table and Amy's steady hand shaking a little as she drew a perfect likeness of a beloved sister. She had finally finished it. They were meant to be drawing a landscape but the teacher had let Amy off because of her circumstances.

_I'm not ready yet, to go back home, but I hope they are ready for this_

The painting was brought indoors to dry. Tears began to fall, Fred came up and gave her a hug. Something Amy had desperately needed as she sobbed into his arms.

"I miss her so much. It's horrible to think I will never see her again"

Fred took her hand "Come for a walk, clear your head"

As soon as the painting was completely dry Amy sent it off to Jo, it was wrapped in the finest material she could find. With a note, honestly explaining why she couldn't return.

_Dearest Jo_

_Please don't hate me. I am too scared to return, I have tried to be brave and it isn't working. I scarcely know what to write. Please Jo, I'll be ready to come home at the end of my year, please send me something of Beths. I'm stopping now, grief has consumed me badly. I cant imagine what it is like for you, Beth was your sister, I knew that. I also know that I am Meg's sister. The painting is for you. Please don't hate me, Jo._

_From Amy._

The letter was tearstained, but Amy felt some of her burden lift as she went off to post her package to Jo, with Fred.


	3. The package

Jo sat up. Startald at the sudden knock at the door. Drying her eyes on the tablecloth she went to answer.

"Josephine March?" The man at the door was holding a package.

"Yes?"

"Package for you."

"Thank you"

Jo took the package, shut the door thenwalked back to the tabe to open it. Inside was a sheet of fine material, she gently removed it and gasped. Lying there was a picture of Beth, beautiful, exact, tear jerking.

"oh Amy" Jo wispered knowing who had painted it. All the same she read the letter. Amy was too scared to come back. She needed something of Beth's. Jo took a deep breath and walked into Beth's oddly quiet room and picked up one of Beth's most cherished dolls.

"Perfect" she though hugging the doll towards her then gingerly wrapping it up so that no harm could come to it.

She finally picked up the courage to read Bhear's letter.

"Dear Jo,

I am so sorry to hear of your Beth's death. Write back, Jo. I am sorry for the fight before you left, one of my family members died when you heard of Beth's extreme illness. It was my way of dealing with the greif. I shouldn't have critisized your writing, you are very talented writer, Jo. I suppose i was also jealous. Never give up on your dream. I hope in time you will forgive me

Yours faithfully Fredrich Bhear"

Jo's face softened. She did forgive him, she felt bad for yelling at him. She considered him as a friend now. Nothing more. Not like Teddy, she always knew, deep inside, there was something special.

Teddy walked up behind her "You've forgiven him then?" he smiled

"Yes" Jo threw her arms around him suddenly. "Teddy, Amy's sent us something"

Jo lead him down to the dining room. He felt tears in his eyes when he saw the picture and read the letter.

"Poor Amy, I feel so cruel now"

"Teddy, you weren't to know"

Teddy left and fetched dome parchement.

"Dearest Amy.

I am so sorry for the way I acted. Thank you so much for the picture of Beth. Attached is Beth's favourite doll. I hope it gives you as much comfort as your picture wil give us.

Much love Laurie and Jo."

Jo was overcome by tears. She sometimes did now. Beth's death badly affected her.

"Laurie, I miss her so much."

The path ahead was hard. Everyone knew that. Some days would be easier than others. Some they would not want to get out of bed. Everyone had someone though. Another test seemed far away, the complete funeral for Beth. As soon as Amy came home.

* * *

I do not own anything to do with little women.

Sorry for the long wait. GCSE's and everything has held me up.


	4. The funeral

Her year was up. She was to go back to the oddly empty house. Wiping away a tear, the tears that came everyday, since the news came, she picked up her bag, the rest of her things had been already shipped back home. Fred came up and took her hand.

"Are you ready, dear"

"To go, yes. To face the house without Beth. No. I never will."

Fred gave her a hug, kissing her cheek quickly he said "The longer you wait the harder it'll be, besides, Beth needs a proper funeral"

"I know lets go."

The journey was a hard one, although Fred made sure they got the best, fastest travel, it still was hard, but finally Fred and Amy were standing outside the March house, cold and exhausted.

Fred reached out to knock on the door but the door flew open and a teary eyes Jo ran at Amy and gave her a hug.

"Amy, your back! Oh I've missed you so"

Jo's shoulder grew wet with Amy's tears "I wish I could have been here"

"You weren't ready" came a voice as Laurie walked outside, smiling at Fred "I am so sorry about the way I treated you, grief changed me"

"It changed us all, Teddy, we all acted strangely, it all worked out for the best" As she said this, Jo slipped her hand into Laurie's and leaned against him. "I just wish Beth was still alive, come on in, you'll catch 'flu if you stay out here longer"

The funeral was the next day and Beth got her final, beautiful send off. Loads of people came, it still surprised them how many friends shy Beth had made.

"She was the most beautiful of us all" Amy said at the graveside tracing the name imprinted on the stone

"And the bravest" Jo kneeled down next to Frank, Fred's brother, "do you need sometime alone?"

Frank nodded, he never forgot the tenderness Beth had towards him, the way she spoke to him. She treated him ecspecially nicely because he was disabled. He loved her.

Fred looked on, tears welling up "He's alwayd liked Beth, he had a soft spot for her. He said that she was not like other girls, she was special"

"She is special, Fred. She is still here, in a way"

"If she is, I hope she helps Frank, he is a shell of his former self now"

"We all are but we are slowly healing"

Hours seemed to pass before they left. After a while they started counting hours before the pain would go away. Hours turned into days, days to weeks, weeks to months untill finally a year had passed.

Jo had been married to Teddy for six months now, smiling she walked up to him.

"Teddy, I'm pregnant."

i do not own litle women

it is not the end yet. I wil do what happened in the year (laurie and Fred's proposal and more) and the birth of Jo's child.


End file.
